Carton construction



June 2, 1942.

H. E. RUE

CARTON CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 8, 1940 Patented June 2, 1942 CARTON CONSTRUCTION Harold E. Rue, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignor to Pabst Brewing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application November 8, 1940, Serial No. 364,792

14 Claims.

My invention relates to carrying cartons, more particularly to cartons of the type having a separately formed handle member'adapted to be inserted into the carton during the filling and sealing operation, and my invention has for an object the provision of improvedcarton constructions of this character.

Carrying cartons have heretofore been provided with shiftable handle members which nest between the packages or articles in the carton 1o automatically aligns the cans and maintains the and include a gripping portion projectable cans in such alignment as to prevent the periphthrough a slot in the carton cover for carrying eral top edges of the cans from interfering with purposes. In cartons heretofore known, the desired movements of the handle member. handle member constitutes one of the partitions Y In carrying out my invention in one form, I or dividers usually provided in cartons for car- 15 provide a sheet-like handle member formed from rying bottles or the like. My invention relates any suitable material such as fiber board, cardparticularly to cartons for carrying packages or board, or the like. and comprising a body portion articles of the type wherein no partitions or dinestable between adjacent rows of beer cans vidersare necessary, such packages being, for Within Q e y Portion has its example, beer cans or the like. Packages or ar- 20 lower edge formed to provide tapered teeth or ticles of this type are characterized by substantially vertical side Walls which meet the package tops in' abrupt peripheral edges and are usually of a generally cylindrical shape.

The packing and sealing operations by means of which beer cans or similar packages are deposited in cartons and the cartons closed and sealed, are usually carried out at a high rate of speed by automatic or semiautomatic machinery in which the cartons are carried on high speed travelingconveyors, and it has been found that difficulties are encountered in inserting suitable handle members between the beer cans during the packaging and sealing operation.

Beer cans or similar packages upon being deposited in a carton of course do notarrange themselves in uniform rows, and an attempt to properly align and spread the cans by hand so as to permit insertion of a handle member between adjacent rows of cans is too time consuming to be practicable. Furthermore, handle members of the type to which my invention relates are usually provided with a handhole or a gripping portion which normally nests between the upper portions of the cans and is slidable through the carton cover to a projected position for carrying or lifting purposes. Packages such as beer cans having substantially ver tical side walls meeting the can tops in abrupt peripheral edges have a tendency to interfere with proper sliding movement of such handle members due to the fact that the cans may tilt slightly and cause the peripheral top edges to extend into the handhole slot so as to prevent position, either when the handle member is initially inserted into the carton before the carton is closed or when the handle member is subsequently shifted between its projected and its retracted positions. Accordingly, it is a further object of my invention to provide an improved carton construction including a handle member which is readily insertable into a carton containing beer cans or similar packages, and which projections adapted when the handle member is initially inserted into the carton to enter the spaces between the beer cans and engage the peripheral top edges thereof. as the handle member moves downwardly into the carton so as to move the cans out of obstructing positions and into alignment, whereby the bodyportion may readily pass into nesting relation with the cans. The handle member also includes a gripping portion having a handhole slot therein, and in order to prevent the cans from tilting so that the peripheral top edges of the cans project into the handhole and preventproper movement of the handle member, I provide a bridging portion extending across the handhole for guiding the gripping portion of the handle member into the space between the cans and maintaining the adjacent cans in proper alignment during movement of the handle member. To facilitate withdrawal of the handle member to its projected position, the carton cover is provided with finger holes positioned directly above the spaces bemovement of the handle member to its lowermost be tween the beer cans so that the gripping portion of the handle member may readily be grasped and withdrawn.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, reference should now be had to the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a carrying carton embodying my invention with the handle member occupying its retracted position so as not to interfere with stacking of. the cartons during storage or transportation;

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view showing the carton of Fig. 1 with the handle member in its projecting position so that the gripping portion of the handle may readily be grasped for carrying purposes;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the carton shown in Figs. 1 and 2 before the cover of the carton has been closed and before the handle member has been inserted into the carton;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational view of the carton shown in Fig. 3 with my improved handle member shown partially inserted between adja cent rows of beer cans;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view showing the carton of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 with the handle member in its retracted position and with the cover of the carton closed;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-'| of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the improved handle member shown associated with the carton in Figs, 1, 2, and 4 to 7, inclusive.

Referring now to the drawing, I have shown my invention as applied to a carrying carton of the type adapted to contain and carry six beverage-containing cans which are shown as cylindrical beer cans of the fiat topped type, but it will of course be understood that the invention is applicable to cartons of different size for carrying different numbers of other types of packages or cans. The carton as shown comprises end walls l0, side walls II, and a bottom wall I 2, the bottom wall being formed in the usual manner from a plurality of flaps which are folded inwardly from the side and end walls respectively. As shown best in Fig. 3, each of the side walls H is provided with a flap l3, and the end walls ID are provided with flaps M, which flaps are adapted, when folded inwardly and sealed, to form a cover for the carton. It will of course be understood that the carton may be formed from any suitable material such as cardboard, fiber board, or the like.

In Fig. 3, the carton is shown as containing six beer cans l5 to 20, inclusive, arranged in two rows with three cans in each row. The width of the carton is slightly greaterthan the total width of two cans so as to facilitate packing of the cans in the carton and so as to provide space for receiving the sheet-like handle member nested between the two longitudinal rows of cans. When the cans are deposited in the carton they of course do not assume accurately aligned positions but may be slightly staggered with respect to each other as shown in Fig. 3, the cans l6 and I!) being offset in one direction and the remaining can being offset from their proper positions in the opposite direction. It will of course be clear that any attempt to insert a sheet-like member having a straight lower edge between the two rows of cans shown in Fig. 3 would be interfered with by the cans, and it would be necessary to individually move the cans into the proper position before such a member could be inserted.

In order to obviate this difliculty, I provide an improved handle member 2| which is constructed as shown best in Fig. 8 and comprises a sheet-like body portion 22, the lower edge of which is formed to provide a plurality of tapered projections or substantially triangular teeth 23. Because of the fact that the beer cans Hi to 20, inclusive, are substantially cylindrical in form, a plurality of spaces 24 are provided within the carton between the cans or packages,

which spaces may be termed interpackage spaces and which spaces exist even though the cans are in contact with each other. The tapered projections or teeth 23 on my improved handle member are so arranged that when the handle member 2| is initially inserted into the carton containing the cans |5 to 20, inclusive, the projections or teeth 23 initially enter these interpackage spaces 24 regardless of whether the cans are in proper alignment or not, and as the handle member 2| is pushed downwardly the tapering edges of the projections 23 engage the peripheral top edges of the cans and move the cans into alignment and out of the path of the body portion 22 so that the handle member moves into nesting relation with the cans without obstruction by the peripheral top edges of the cans. In Figs. 4 and 6 the handle member is shown inserted to a position in which the tapered edges of the projections 23 have just engaged the peripheral top edges of the cans, and in Figs. 5 and 7 the handle member 2| is shown in its lowermost or retracted position nested entirely within the carton and between adjacent rows of cans. After the handle member has reached this position the carton may be closed and sealed by folding the flaps I3 and M inwardly to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 7, with the flaps I3 overlying the flaps M to form the carton cover.

In order to provide for lifting or carrying of the carton the body portion 22 of the handle member 2| is provided at its upper edge with shoulder portions 25 and with a gripping portion which is in the shape of an inverted U, having a yoke portion 26 spaced from the body portion to provide a handhole slot 21 and connected to the body portion at its opposite ends by legs 28. It will be apparent that since the cans l6 and I9 are free to tilt within the carton, the upper peripheral edges of these cans may interfere with downward movement of the handle member 2| by engaging the lower edge of the yoke 26 of the gripping portion. In order to prevent such interference with downward movement of the handle member and to insure that the cans are maintained in proper alignment, the gripping portion of the handle member 2| is provided with a bridging member 29 which extends across the handle slot 21 at substantially the point where the cans l6 and I9 would tend to engage the yoke 26 which forms the upper edge of the hand-hole slot. During both upward and downward movement of the handle member 2| this bridging portion 29 prevents the cans l6 and I9 from entering the handhole slot 21 so as to interfere with such movement.

After the handle member has been inserted into the carton and the cover of the carton closed and sealed, it will be apparent that the handle member is loosely nested between adjacent rows of cans and is entirely confined within the carton. Accordingly, the handle member does not interfere with stacking of the cartons during storage and transportation. In order that the handle member may be used for carrying purposes, the cover of the carton is so arranged that the handle member may be drawn upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 and indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5, in which position the grlpping portion 26 projects through the cover member so that the portion 26 may be readily grasped, and the shoulder portions 25 engage the undersurface of the carton cover in load transferring relation.

To facilitate withdrawal of the handle member 2| to the position shown in Fig. 2, the side flaps l3 are preferably arranged so that when folded inwardly and sealed a small gap or slot 30 is provided between the inner edges thereof as shown best in Fig; 7. Likewise, in order to facilitate withdrawal of the handle member the side flaps l3 are provided with suitable notches 3l, and each of theend flaps I4 is provided with a similar notch 32. These notches are so arranged that when the flaps I3 and H are folded inwardly the notches co-operate to form a pair of finger holes, as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2,

through which the gripping portion of the ham dle member 2| may be grasped whenever it is desired to shift the handle member to'the withdrawn or projected position shown in Fig. 2 and indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5. When the carton is used to carry fiat topped cans such as the cans Hi to 20, inclusive, herein illustrated, it is of course desirable that the finger holes formed by the notches 3| and 32 come directly over certain of the interpackage spaces 24 so that the cans will not interfere with ready grasping of the handle member for withdrawal to its projected position, and accordingly the notches 3i and 32 are so arranged in the flaps l3 and [4 as to form finger holes which are directly over two of the interpackage spaces 24.

It will now be apparent that I have provided a carton construction of the type having a shiftable handle member and adapted to carry packages of the type having substantially vertical side walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges, wherein the handle member may be readily inserted into the carton during the packing and sealing operation without prealignment of the cans and without obstruction of the handle movement by the cans, the handle member also being constructed so as to prevent interference of the cans with subsequent movement of the handle between its projected and retracted positions.

When the carton is used for beer cans or similar beverage containing packages that should be cooled before usage or should be maintained at some desired low temperature, it may be desirable to provide the end walls of the carton with suitable ventilating apertures 33 as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications maybe made,- and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A handle member adapted to be restrained in lifting relation to a carton upon closure and sealing thereof and adapted to be readily inserted into a carton containing a plurality of individual packages shaped to provide interpack age spaces when in contact with each other and having substantially vertical walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges, said handle member including a sheet-like body portion nestable between adjacent rows of said packages in said carton, saidbody portion havingits lower edge formed to provide spaced tapered projections, adjacent projections being insertabie in corresponding adjacent interpackage spaces for engaging the peripheral top edges of the packbody portion as the handle member is inserted into the carton.

2. A handle member adapted to be restrained in lifting relation to a carton upon closure and sealing thereof and adapted to be readily inserted into a carton containing a plurality of individual packages shaped to provide interpackage spaces when in contact with each other and having substantially vertical walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges, said handle member including a sheet-like bodyportion nestable between adjacent rows of said packages in'said carton, said body portion having tapered cam means projecting from the lower edge thereof, said cam means being spaced apart sufliciently to cause adjacent cam means to enter corresponding adjacent interpackage spaces as said handle member is inserted into said carton, said cam means engaging the peripheral top edges .of said packages to move the packages out of the path of said body portion.

3. A handle member adapted to be restrained in lifting relation to a carton upon closure and sealing thereof and adapted to be readily inserted into a carton containing a plurality of individual packages shaped to provide interpackage spaces when in contact with each other and having substantially vertical walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges, said handle member including a sheet-like body portion nestable between adjacent rows of said packages in said carton, said body portion having spaced projecting means on the lower edge thereof, adjacent projecting means being sufiiciently spaced to enter corresponding adjacent interpackage spaces for engaging the peripheral top edges of said packages defining said interpackage spaces to move said packages into aligned rows and provide a continuous space therebetween in which said body portion nests upon insertion of said handle member into said carton.

4. A handle member adapted to be restrained in lifting relation to a carton upon closure and sealing thereof and adapted to'be readily inserted into a carton containing a plurality of individual packages shaped to provide interpackage spaces when in contact with each other and having substantially vertical walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges, said handle member comprising a sheet-like body portion nestable between adjacent rows of said packages and having shoulder portions on its upper edge engageable with the cover of said carton for transferring liftin forces to said carton, said body portion having a gripping portion extending from said upper edge between said shoulder portions adapted to project through the cover of said carton for lifting the carton, said body'portion having its lower edge formed to provide spaced tapered projections, ad-

ages to move the packages out of the path of said 7 jacent projections being spaced to enter corresponding adjacent interpackage spaces as said handle member is inserted into the carton and engage the peripheral top edges of said packages to move said packages out of the path of said body portion.

5. A handle member adapted to be restrained in lifting relation to a carton upon closure and sealing thereof and adapted to be readily inserted into a carton containing a plurality of individual packages shaped to provide interpackage spaces when in contact with each other and having substantiallyvertical walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges, said handle member being movable between projected and retracted positions and including a sheet-like tracted position, said handle bod portion nestable between adjacent rows oi. said packages, said handle member including also a gripping portion extending from one edge or said body portion adapted to project through the cover of said carton when said handle member is in projected position and to be confined within said carton when said handle member is in retracted position, said body portion having its lower edge formed to provide spaced tapered projections, adjacent projections being insertable in corresponding adjacent interpackage spaces for engaging the peripheral top edges of said packages as said handle member is inserted into said carton to move the packages out of the path of said body portion, said gripping portion having a handhole therein and a bridging portion for guiding said gripping portion to a nesting position between said packages and preventing said peripheral top edges of said packages from engaging the upper edge of said handhole as said handle member is moved to retracted position.

6. A shiftable handle member for a carton containing a plurality of individual packages having substantially vertical walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges, said handle member being sheet-like in form and nestable between adjacent rows of said packages for movement between a projected position and a retracted position, said handle member including a body portion having a gripping portion of inverted U- shape extending from its upper edge to provide a handhole between the upper edge of said body portion and the yoke of said U, said U-shaped gripping portion extending through the cover of the carton when said handle member is in projected position and being withinthe'confines of said carton between said adjacent rows of said packages when said handle member is in retracted position, and a bridging member extending across said handhole between said yoke and said body portion to prevent the peripheral top edges of said packages in said adjacent rows from engaging the lower edge of said yoke when said handle member is moved from projected to retracted position.

7. A shiftable handle member for a carton containing a plurality of individual packages having substantially vertical walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges, said handle member being sheet-like in form and nestable between adjacent rows of said packages for movement between a projected position and a remember including a body portion adapted to be disposed within said carton and a gripping portion adapted to extend through the cover of said carton when the handle member is in projected position and to be confined within said carton between said rows of packages when the handle member is in retracted position, said gripping portion having a handhole therein and a bridging portion for guiding said gripping portion to said nesting position between said rows of packages and insuring that the peripheral top edges of said packages do not engage the upper edge of said handhole when said handle member is moved to retracted position.

8. As an article of manufacture, a handle memv.lzier comprising a sheet-like body portion having load engaging shoulder portions on its upper edge and a gripping portion extending from the upper edge of said body portion between said shoulders, said body portion having its lower edge formed to provide a plurality of spaced projections tapering throughout the entire length 'stantially triangular teeth thereof and extending in the plane of the body portion.

9. As an article of manufacture, a handle member comprising a sheet-like body portion having load engaging shoulder portions on its upper edge and a gripping portion extending in the plane of said body portion between said shoulders, said gripping portion having a handhole therein and a bridging portion extending across said handhole, said body portion having its lower edge shaped to provide a row of subin the .plane of the body portion.

10. A carrying carton for a plurality of individual flat topped packages having vertical side walls of substantially the height of said carton and being shaped to provide interpackage spaces when positioned in said carton in contact with each other, said carton having bottom, side and end walls and having flaps on the upper edges of said side and end walls foldable inwardly to form a cover, a handle member adapted to be inserted betweenadjacent rows of said packages after said packages have been deposited in said carton and before closure of said cover, said handle member including asheet-like body portion the lower edge of which is formed to provide spaced tapered projections, adjacent projections being insertable in corresponding adjacent interpackage spaces for engaging the peripheral top edges of said packages to move said packages out of the path of said body portion as said handle member is inserted into said carton, said cover upon closure thereof permitting a portion of said handle member to project therethrough for lifting purposes, said handle member having shoulder portions for engaging the underside of the carton cover in load transmitting relation.

11. A carrying carton for a plurality of individual fiat topped packages having vertical side walls of substantially the height of said carton and being shaped to provide interpackage spaces when positioned in said carton in contact with each other, said carton having bottom, side and end walls and having flaps on the upper edges of said side and end walls foldable inwardly to form a cover, a handle member adapted to be inserted betweenadjacent rows of said packages after said packages have been deposited in said carton and before closure of said cover, said handle member including a sheet-like body portion the lower edge of which is formed to provide spaced tapered projections, adjacent projections being insertable in corresponding adjacent interpackage spaces for engaging the peripheral top edges vof said packages to move said packages out of the pathof said body portion as said handle member is inserted into said carton, said handle member including an extending gripping portion forming a handhole and being shiftable between a position wherein said handle member is wholly confined within said carton and a projecting position wherein said gripping portion extends through the cover of said carton for lifting purposes, said side and end flaps having notches co-operating when folded inwardly and sealed to form finger openings directly above certainof said interpackage spaces for withdrawing the handle member to said projecting position.

12. A carrying carton for a plurality of individual flat topped packages having vertical side walls of substantially the height of said carton and being shaped to provide interpackage said carton and before closure of said cover, said handle member including a sheet-like body portion the lower edge of which is formed to provide spaced tapered projections, adjacent projections being insertable in corresponding adjacent interpackage spaces for engaging the peripheral top edges of said packages to move said packages out of the path of said body portion as said handle member is inserted into said carton, said side and end flaps having notches co-operating to form finger openings in the carton cover directly above certain of said interpackage spaces when said flaps are folded inwardly, said handle member including a gripping portion normally nested between the packages forming said interpackage spaces, said handle member being shiftable to a position in which said gripping portion extends through-said cover for lifting purposes, said finger openings permitting grasping of said handle member for shifting the same, said gripping portion havin a handhole therein and a bridging portion extending vertically across said handhole for guiding said gripping portion between said packages upon initial insertion of said handle member and upon subsequent shifting movements thereof.

13. A carrying carton for a plurality of individual packages, said packages having substantially vertical side walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges and shaped to provide interpackage spaces when positioned in said carton in contact with each other, a cover for closing said carton, a handle member adapted to be in-,

serted between adjacent rows of said packages after said packages have been deposited in said carton and before closure of said cover, said handle member including a sheet-like body portion the lower edge of which is formed to provide spaced tapered projections, adjacent projections being insertable in corresponding adjacent interpackage spaces for engaging the peripheral top edges of said packages to move said packages out of the path of said body portion as said handle member is inserted into said carton, said cover upon closure thereof permitting a portion of said handle member to project therethrough for lifting purposes, said handle member havin shoulder portions for engaging the underside of the carton cover in load transmitting relation.

14. A carrying carton .for a. plurality of individual packages, said packages having substantially vertical side walls meeting the package tops in peripheral edges and shaped to provide interpackage spaces when positioned in said carton in contact with each other, a cover for closing said carton, a handle member adapted to be inserted between adjacent rows of said packages after the deposit thereof in said carton and before closure of said cover, said handle member including sheet-like body portion the lower edge of which is formed to provide spaced tapered projections, adjacent projections being insertable in corresponding adjacent interpac-kage spaces for engaging the peripheral top edges of said packages to move the packages out of the path of said body portion as said handle is inserted into said carton, said cover having finger openings therein positioned above certain of said interpackage spaces when said cover is closed, said handle member including a gripping portion normally nested between the packages, and being shiftable to a position in which said gripping portion extends through said cover for lifting purposes, said finger openings permitting grasping of said handle member for shifting the same. and said gripping portion having a hand hole therein and a bridging portion extending vertically across said hand hole for guiding said gripping portion between said packages upon initial insertion of said handle member and upon subsequent shifting movements thereof.

HAROLD E. RUE. 

